登陆注册
4913500000201

第201章

Summary and Conclusion §184. At the close of a work like this, it is more than usually needfulto contemplate as a whole that which the successive chapters have presentedin parts. A coherent knowledge implies something more than the establishmentof connexions: we must not rest after seeing how each minor group of truthsfalls into its place within some major group, and how all the major groupsfit together. It is requisite that we should retire a space, and, lookingat the entire structure from a distance at which details are lost to view,observe its general character.

Something more than recapitulation -- something more even than an organizedre-statement, will come within the scope of the chapter. We shall find thatin their ensemble the general truths reached exhibit, under certain aspects,a oneness not hitherto observed.

There is, too, a special reason for noting how the various divisions andsubdivisions of the argument consolidate; namely, that the theory at largethereby obtains a final illustration. The reduction of the generalizationswhich have been set forth separately to a completely integrated state, exemplifiesonce more the process of Evolution, and strengthens still further the generalfabric of conclusions. §185. Here, indeed, we find ourselves brought round unexpectedlyto the truth with which we set out, and with which our re-survey must commence.

For this integrated form of knowledge is the form which, apart from the doctrineof Evolution, we decided to be the highest form.

When we inquired what constitutes Philosophy -- when we compared men'svarious conceptions of Philosophy, so that, eliminating the elements in whichthey differed, we might see in what they agreed; we found in them all thetacit implication that Philosophy is completely unified knowledge. Apartfrom each scheme of unified knowledge, and apart from proposed methods bywhich unification is to be effected, we traced in every case a belief thatunification is possible, and that the end of Philosophy is achievement ofit.

After reaching this conclusion we considered the data with which Philosophymust set out. Fundamental propositions, or propositions not deducible fromdeeper ones can be established only by showing the complete congruity ofall the results reached through the assumption of them; and, premising thatthey were simply assumed till thus established, we took as our data thosecomponents of our intelligence without which there cannot go on the mentalprocesses implied by philosophizing.

From the specification of these we passed to certain primary truths --"The Indestructibility of Matter," "The Continuity of Motion,"and "The Persistence of force;" of which the last is ultimate andthe others derivative. Having previously seen that our experiences of Matterand Motion are resolvable into experiences of force, we further saw the truthsthat Matter and Motion are unchangeable in quantity, to be implications ofthe truth that Force is unchangeable in quantity. This we concluded is thetruth by derivation from which all other truths are to be proved.

The first of the truths which presented itself to be so proved, is "ThePersistence of the relations among Forces." This, which is ordinarilycalled Uniformity of Law, we found to be a necessary implication of the truththat Force can neither arise out of nothing nor lapse into nothing.

The next deduction was that forces which seem to be lost are transformedinto their equivalents of other forces; or, conversely, that forces whichbecome manifest, do so by disappearance of pre-existing equivalent forces.

These truths we found illustrated by the motions of the heavenly bodies,by the changes going on over the Earth's surface, and by all organic andsuper-organic actions.

It was shown to be the same with the law that everything moves along theline of least resistance, or the line of greater traction, or their resultant.

Among movements of all orders, from those of stars down to those of nervousdischarges and commercial currents, it was shown both that this is so, andtat, given the Persistence of Force, it must be so.

So, too, we saw it to be with "The Rhythm Of Motion." All motionalternates -- be it the motion of planets in their orbits or ethereal moleculesin their undulations be it the cadences of speech or the rises and fallsof prices; and, as before, it became manifest that Force being persistent,this perpetual reversal of Motion between limits is inevitable. §186. These truths holding of existences at large, were recognizedas of the kind required to constitute what we distinguish as Philosophy.

But, on considering them, we perceived that as they stand they do not forma Philosophy. and that a Philosophy cannot be formed by any number of suchtruths separately known. Each expresses the law of some one factor by whichphenomena, as we experience them, are produced; or, at most, expresses thelaw of co-operation of some two factors. But knowing what are the elementsof a process, is not knowing how these elements combine to effect it. Thatwhich alone can unify knowledge must be the law of co-operation of the factors-- a law expressing simultaneously the complex antecedents and the complexconsequents which any phenomenon as a whole presents.

A further inference was that Philosophy, as we understand it, must notunify the changes displayed in separate concrete phenomena only; and mustnot stop short with unifying the changes displayed in separate classes ofconcrete phenomena; but must unify the changes displayed in all concretephenomena. If the law of operation of each factor holds true throughout theCosmos, so, too, must the law of their co-operation. And hence in comprehendingthe Cosmos as conforming to this law of co-operation, must consist that highestunification which Philosophy seeks.

同类推荐
  • 养老奉亲书

    养老奉亲书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 近体乐府

    近体乐府

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说兴起行经

    佛说兴起行经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 净土生无生论会集

    净土生无生论会集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大广方入如来智德不思议经

    大广方入如来智德不思议经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 最后的巫妖法师

    最后的巫妖法师

    咆哮的骸骨巨龙,嘶吼的风暴巨人,狂热的机械矮人,还有萌即正义的小魔女……教权与皇权纷争,联邦与王国鏖战,文明与秩序的界墙外,暴风之眼席卷,悲鸣之雨怒号……明亮的魔法议厅,他站在学术的高塔上推演不变的真理,并重新压住牛顿的棺材板。漆黑的幽渊深处,骷髅匍匐铸就他的王座,亡灵跪俯吟唱他的功德,在异界,一场永生不死族之王的永恒传说,正在进行时。“当你在凝视深渊时,深渊也会感到害怕,并瑟瑟发抖表示嘤嘤嘤。”——来自《最后的巫妖法师》日志记载
  • 我家狼狗有点萌

    我家狼狗有点萌

    作为一个新时代的美女子,她需要与时代接轨,欣赏世间万物的亮丽风景——好吧,通俗一点说,这个宿主容易感春伤秋。可是,这个莫名其妙的系统是怎么回事?说好的沸腾呢?说好的造作呢?一天到晚让她佛系又是想要闹哪样?不行不行,新时代的美女子表示受不了这个委屈,敢快给她一杯七十年的桃花酿压压惊!夫人!听说您要喝桃花酿,我们家公子让我存下的百年桃花酿挖出来给您送来了!!!!谁要桃花酿!却见那个小奶狗般的男子睁着湿漉漉的眼睛看着她:娘子~完了完了,简直太萌了趴!!……前方有狗粮出没,请小心食用!
  • 樱花泪湮

    樱花泪湮

    他又看见了她于朝云溪水旁。她仍是一身粉白,裙摆满是樱花。她在前边踮起脚一步又一步地走着,在她身后那只麒麟紧紧地跟在他身后。他落在后面,不由得心中一紧。“落儿。”他唤住她。她像听见了,转身回过头来,远远地看着他那双眸子充满着绝望。“你头发乱了,过来。”他朝他招手,示意他过来,出乎意料的是,可她却没有过来,而是一步一步地往后退,离自己越来越远。他蹙着眉头,心中莫名地慌张,像是很宝贵的东西从他的心中流逝一样。!他看着她的嘴像在说着什么,却没有半点儿声音只是唇在动,脸上笑容依旧……“难道师兄又忘了吗?我没有声音了,不能说话了。”他看懂了这个口型,他蓦然停下脚步,一切都随在消失。睁开眼,落入眸子的是无尽的黑暗……修长白皙的手抚过那颗挂在眼角的泪珠,像以前他抚过她的乱蓬蓬的头发。这是第几次梦见她了?——他也不记得了。
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 梅葛:彝族创世史诗(中华大国学经典文库)

    梅葛:彝族创世史诗(中华大国学经典文库)

    《梅葛》是彝族的一部长篇史诗,流传在云南省楚雄州的姚安、大姚等彝族地区。当地彝人每逢年节都要诵唱《梅葛》三天,并视《梅葛》为“根谱”而世代口耳相传。“梅葛”本为一种彝族歌调的名称,由于采用这种调子来唱彝族的创世史,因而人们将这部创世史诗称为《梅葛》。全诗分为四大部分:“创世”、“造物”、“婚事和恋歌”、“丧葬”。“梅葛”调又分“赤梅葛”和“辅梅葛”两大类。“赤梅葛”的曲调比较悲楚、忧伤、低沉,史诗的第四部“丧葬”就采用这种曲调;“辅梅葛”的曲调较为婉转抒情,史诗的其他几部唱诵时就采用这种曲调。
  • 白华楼藏稿

    白华楼藏稿

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 芳草萋萋仍胜碧

    芳草萋萋仍胜碧

    人人都知道武侯府的千金骄纵无比、蛮横无德,但没有人知道她从四岁来到京都,带着最美好的期待与憧憬,但却用着世人眼中最不堪的一面来伪装、保护着自己;后来她十四岁被赶出京都,带着最绝望的痛恨与咒怨,那晚她在世人的唾骂声中离开京都。死后被压寒潭,日饮剧毒,数年后在一个盛夏,世人口中那个死在大火尸骨无存的女人又回来了。
  • 你是剑鞘

    你是剑鞘

    师父说,你就是剑鞘楚长青没有拒绝,以身化鞘!楚长青从死人堆里被捡来,又从死人堆里走向了世界……楚长青说,做个好孩子太难了,外面坏人太多,我想回村里!
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 洞玄灵宝自然斋仪

    洞玄灵宝自然斋仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。